Collapsible container



June 17, 1930. v A. H. RQSENTHAL 1,753,724

COLLAPS IBLE CONTAINER Filed Sept 17, 1929 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 1 NVENTOR BY MML ATTORNEY Jun 17, 1930.

A. H. ROSENTHAL COLLAVPSIBLE CONTAINER 2 Sheets-Sheet '2 Filed Sept 1T 1929 mazaazmmxzwmA Patented June 17, 1930 UNITED STATES AMBROSE H. ROSEN'I HA L, F BROOKLYN, NEW YORK COLLAPSIBLE ooiv'ramnn Application filed September 17, 1929. Serial No. 393,188.

My invention relates to a container for a plurality of cigarette packages or playing card decks and has for its object to provide a container of this character, Which embodies 15 in its construction a plurality of individual hinged compartments to'separately contain the packages and means manipulated from the exterior of the container to simultaneously swing the compartments to open and closed positions, thus making the contents easily accessible when the compartments are open, and completely concealing the contents when the compartments are closed.

A further object of the invention is to provide a turn table mounting for a cigarette or playing card holder of this character, wherein the latter may be rotated axially to bring any particular brand of cigarette or deck of playing cards in position before the user or player, without 7 the necessity of changing the position of the entire holder.

A still further object of my invention is to afford an efiicient locking meansfor holding a-plurality of hinged compartments in closed position when the device is not in use and for releasing the compartment simultaneously to place the latter in positions offering easy access to the contents.

1' accomplish these objects by means of a novel arrangement and combination of parts hereinafter described in the specification, set forth in the claims and illustratively exemplified in the accompanying drawings, in which Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved device in closed position; Figure 2 is a similar view showing the compartments in open position; Figure 3 is a substantially longitudinal sectional view of the arrangement in Figure 1; Figure 4 is a substantially .40: transverse sectional View taken on line 4-4 of Figure 3; and Figure 5 is a detailed perspective view of the means used'to manipulate the opening and closing'mechanism for 'thecompartments. a 4

Referring to the drawings, I have illustrated a container accommodating only four separate compartments for packages, but it will be understood that the compartments may be of any convenient number without necessitating any change in the construction other than its geometrical design. The

invention comprises a stationary base plate 10, which is circular in design and slightly concave from underneath to receive a felt layer or disc 11. A ce'nter'opening 12 in the plate-10 is provided to accommodate the threaded stem of a screw'13, the head thereof being embedded in the felt 12 at the underside of the plate. Mounted on thescrew 13 concentrically of the plate 10- is a disc 14 do upon which a disc shaped turn table 15 is supported for rotary adjustment with the screw 13, the threaded stem thereof being screwed into the-lower-end ofan upright tubular shank 16 mounted on the upper face of the turn table 15. a i j The turn table 15 supports, in the present instance, an upright hollowcolumn 17 which is substantially square in transverse section and formed'of sheet metal fixed at its lower end to the upper surface of the turn table 15, the, upper end being covered'by a plate 18 having the shape of a Greek-cross, the four projections thereof extending beyond the sides of the upright column 17, as illu's 7 trativelyexemplified in Figures 1 "and 2, particularly. The plate 18 is held in posi tion by two upright bolts 18 projecting from the plate 15 and screwed down by nuts 18",

'Hinged to the upright column 17 on each so of its four sides is a holder or compartment 19, which comprises a sheet of metal bent to form 'abottom end 20, side walls 21 and outside or front wall 22, the top and inside being open, the former being disposed under 8'5 an arm of th'e'cover plate 18' and the latter against the adjacent side of the column 17. 7 when closed, as shown in Figures 3"and 4. V A strap 23 projects across each holdera'nd is attached at its ends to the "free edge'of the side walls 21 about midway of their length. The purpose of; the strap 23 is to embrace one side of: the package 24 placed in the I holder; The hingeconnection' for each hold er is effected :by providing two spaced $5 tongues25 which project* outwardly from thefree end of the bottom wall 20 and are projected" through slots in; the wall of the column and-bent downwardly at an angle i at their ends to prevent'easy removal. The fob holders 19 are hin ed at their bottom ends to the column 17 acent its lower end and projecting from the bottom end 20 of each holder is a web 26 having an upwardly curved forked end 27, which projects into the interior of the column 17 through a slot 27 therein disposed between the slots for the hinge tongues 25, and which cooperates with a hand operated mechanism to effect the opening and closing of the holder.

The upwardly curved forked ends of the holders 19 are arranged radially of the upright axis of the column 17 and in each instance, the fork embraces a bar 28 formed by the peripheral portion of a rim 29 and a radial slot 30, the rim being a portion of a sleeve 31 loosely mounted on an upright plunger 32 which is supported at its lower end in the upper end of the tubular shank 16 of the turn table disc 15, and which receives its support short of the other end in a bi'ishing The bushing 33 is a screw which projects through an opening in the cover plage 18 and screws into the lower end of a base portion 34 forming an integral part of a handle or carrier 35. Referring again to the sleeve 31, between the latter and. its rim 29, is a raised concentric part 36, the upright wall thereof being provided with a continuation of each radial slot 30, so that the latter are virtually angular openings, as illustrated in Figure As already stated, the sleeve 31 is loosely mounted onthe plunger 32, which is a round bar in transverse section, and which carries a transverse cotter pin adjacent its lower end to support the sleeve 31 and in the closed. position of the device to rest upon the upper end of the shank 16. A coiled spring 38 of considerable tension embraces the plunger above the sleeve 31 and abuts at its upper endagainst a washer 39 and cotter pm 40 projecting transversely of the plunger.- In the depressedposition of the plunger 32, the spring forcing the sleeve 31 downwardl-y against pin- 37, holds the bars 28- closed, by means of slide 41 which is pro vided with an elongated slot 42 disposed in its mid portion and of sufiicient size to al low the plunger 32 to pass therethrough. Adjacent the upper end of the plunger the latter is reduced to form a shoulder 43,

i which in the depressed position of the plungor 32 engages under the endwall of the slot 42, and which projects. upwardly through the slot 42 when the slide is shifted tobring the slot into full register with the plunger. The holders swinging to their open positions by release of the plunger 32 are stopped and yieldably held at the desired angle without touching the surface of the turn table 15, by a pin 44 projecting trans versely of the plunger at a point beneath the screw bushing 33 and abutting the latter.

The slide 41 is housed in the cross piece 45 of the handle or carrier 35, which comprises a T-shaped tubular member, 'the bore 46 of the stem portion thereof being projected through a boss 47 at the top to accommodate the upper end of the plunger 32 above the shoulder 43. A button 48 on the upper end of the plunger 32 provides a means of depressing the latter to bring the compartments back to their closed positions. The slide 41 is yieldably urged to lock the plunger 32 by a spring 49 arranged in the housing 45 between the closed end of the latter and one end of the slide 41, the spring 49 being properly centered by a pin 50 projecting from the said end of the slide. The slide is manipulated by a button 51 slidably mounted on the open end of the housing 45 and provided with a connecting link 52 attached to the slide itself at the end opposite that engaged by the spring 49. To re lease the holders, the button 51 is pushed over the housing 45 until the slot 42 registers fully with the plunger below the shoulder 43 and permits the same to project upwardly under pressure of the spring 38 and weight of the holders themselves.

The operation of the device is extremely simple and involves merely the necessity of exerting a slight pressure on the button 51 to swing the holders outwardly to open position and thereafter depressing the button 48- to drive the sleeve 31 downwardly under tension of the spring 38 and with it the four forks 27, which cause the holders 19 to swing upwardly against the center column 17 to their initial closed position. Any holder" may be brought into convenient position about the column by causing the turn table 15 carrying the apparatus to revolve on the plate 10.

Having now completely described my invention what I claim and desire to secure by Letters Patent is:

1. In a device of the class described, a center post, a plurality of upright containers hinged to the post, and means for releasing the containers to swing outwardly simultaneously to open positions and to return the same simultaneously to their closed positions against said post.

2. In a device of the class described, a center support, a plurality of upright containers mounted on the support to swing outwardly from their lower ends to open positions and means operable in the support and associated with the containers to release the latter to open simultaneously by gravity and to return the same simultaneously to their initial closed positions against said support 3. In a device of the class described, an upright center column, a plurality of upright containers hinged to the column, and means operable in the column and associated with said containers to swing the latter simultaneously to closed position against the column and to release the same to swing simultaneously to their open position.

4. In a device of the class described, a center column having a plurality of upright flat sides, a plurality of containers, one thereof hinged to each flat side of the column and disposed to swing outwardly from its lower end, the containers being provided with projections extending radially towards the upright axis of the column, and means disposed axially of the column and in operative association with the projections to allow the containers to swing simultaneously to open position byaxial movement in one I direction and to swing the containers simultaneously to closed position by axial movement in the other direction.

5. A device as claimed in claim 4, in which the said projections of the containers are provided with forked portions curved upwardly towards their open ends, and means associated therewith comprising a sleeve engaging the forked ends between the prongs thereof, and an axially adjustable spindle carrying the sleeve, whereby adjustment thereof in one direction will cause the projections to swing the containers upright against said column and in the other direction will allow the projections and containers to swing of their own weight to open positions.

6. In a device of the class described, a center column, a plurality of containers hinged to the column and adapted to swing upright against same to closed position, each container having a forked projection extending .in an upwardly directed curve towards the axis of the column, a sleeve disposed axially of the column and having radial slots, the marginal portions forming the closed ends thereof being disposed between the prongs of the forks, a spindle mounted for adjust ment axially of the column and loosely carrying said sleeve adjacent the lower end, resilient means urging the sleeve in the direction of the forked ends, and means for automatically looking the spindle in depressed position to yieldably hold the containers in closed position.

7. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which the resilient means includes a' spring member embracing the spindle and abuting a fixed portion thereof at one end and bearing downwardly at the other end against the sleeve.

8. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which thelocking means comprises a slide yieldablyv urged to its locking position and having an opening adjustable, transversely of thespindle to hold the latter against a side wall of the open ing,and means for moving the slide tobring the opening into der to. abut one end wall of the opening to hold thespindle-depressed and the cont-ainers in closed position, and means outside the handle for moving the slide to bring the,

opening into full register with thespindle to release the same and allow the containers to; drop to open position.

10. A device as claimed in claim 6, in which a column supports a handle to receive the upper end of the spindle, and the locking means comprises a slide disposed in the handle and operating transversely 7 thereof, said slide having anelongated opening, said spindle being provided with a shoulder to abut one end wall of the opening to hold the spindle depressed and the con-- tainers in closed position, means outside the handle for moving the slide to bring the opening into full register with thespindle to release the same and allow the containers to dropito open position, and meanscarried by the spindle to limit its upward movement and the outward movement of the containers. V

11. A device of the class described, a base, a turn table'mounted for rotary movement on said base, a center column mounted upright on said turn table,.a top plate for the column, containers hinged attheir lower ends to said column and adapted to swing to closed position against the column and under the top plate, and means mounted on the top plate and operatively associated with the containers to effect simultaneously the opening and closing of the containers.

, 12. A. device as claimed in claim 11, in which the "center column comprises a four sided shell, the top plate and turn table comprise projections, each thereof etxending outwardly from one of the sides of the shell, and thecontainers are each provided with sides, bottom and front wall, the open side of each container being disposed against its respective side of the shell and under the projection of the top plate when in closed position.

13. A device as claimed inclaim 11, in a wardly from one of the sides of the shell, and the containers are each provided with sides, bottom and front wall, the open side of each container being disposed against its 5 respective side of the shell and under the projection of the top plate when in closed position, said bottom wall of the container being provided with tabs projecting at an angle from the open end to form the hinge connection with the center column.

14:. A device as claimed in claim 11, in which the center column comprises a four sided shell, the top plate and turn table comprise projections, each thereof extend- 15 ing' outwardly from one of the sides of the shell, and the containers are each provided with sides, bottom and front wall, the open side of each container being disposed against its respective side of the shell and under the projection of the top plate when in closed position, the side walls being provided with a strap projecting across the open side of the container to hold the contents in position.

15. A device of the class described, a center column, a plurality of radially hinged containers for the column, and a yieldably mounted control movable axially of the column and in operative association with said containers to close the same by movement in one direction and to allow them to swing by gravity to open position by movement in the opposite direction.

16. In a device of the class described, the

combination with a center column, of a container hinged at its lower end to said column and provided with an. upwardly curved forked projection, means engaged between the prongs of the fork, axially movable means within said column and upon which the first means is loosely mounted, resilient means disposed between the first and second means to urge the first means to force the forked projection and container to closed position, and means carried by the second means to limit its axial movement in one direction to a point where the first means yieldably holds the fork while the container is at an outwardly inclined open position. In testimony whereof I affix my signature.

AMBROSE H. ROSENTHAL. 

